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Dive Sites

Koh Tao has 25 sites. Below we have listed some of the more popular ones to give you an idea on what the island has to offer. If you require further information on others dive sites, please email us through the link at the end of this page.

Sites are graded as follows:

Blue Stars - Diving Sites
Graded 1-5 (5 Stars=Top Grade)

Red Stars - Snorkel Sites
Graded 1-5 (5 Stars=Top Grade)

Chumphon Pinnacle

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Average Depth: 20m (66ft)
Maximum Depth: 36m (120ft) Chumphon Pinnacle, Koh Tao

Chumphon Pinnacle, Koh Tao

Koh Tao's most impressive dive site. The dive site consists of four underwater pinnacles that tower up from around 34m (112ft) to the highest peaks at 16m (53ft) below the surface. This is an ideal place to spot many pelagics and big reef fish.

Green Rock (Hin Kee-Oh)

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Average Depth: 15m (50ft)
Maximum Depth: 25m (83ft) Green Rock, Koh Tao

Green Rock, Koh Tao

Divers come here for the tremendous selection of adventurous swim throughs provided by large archways, caverns, caves and crevices that cut through Green Rock.

Nang Yuan Bay III, Twins (Aow Sam)

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Average Depth: 12m (40ft)
Maximum Depth: 21m (70ft) Twins, Koh Tao

Twins, Koh Tao

Descending down onto the large rocks in a depth of 9m (30ft) you will find the dive site come to life. Alabaster sea cucumbers with their feathery mouthparts occur in large numbers, but are part of a more interesting community scattered around rocks and boulder corals, which are rich with multicoloured Christmas tree worms and bivalve molluscs.

Nang Yuan Bay II, Japanese Gardens (Aow Song)

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Average Depth: 10m (35ft)
Maximum Depth: 15m (50ft) Japanese Gardens

Japanese Gardens

A coral head covered bottom with patches of pristine sand, provides a good dive site to go off and see plenty of bivalves and tropical reef fish.

White Rock (Hin Khao)

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Average Depth: 15m (50ft)
Maximum Depth: 24m (80ft) White Rock Koh Tao

White Rock Koh Tao

This is a very enjoyable dive, suitable for both novice and experienced divers. The site consists of two main pinnacles, the higher of which (White Rock itself) is covered by only 2m (6ft) of water and the lower (down in the southern end of the dive site) known as the Coral Garden.

Hin Wong Pinnacle

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Average Depth: 15m (50ft)
Maximum Depth: 30m (100ft) Hin Wong, Koh Tao

Hin Wong, Koh Tao

The site consists mainly of large tabletop rock formation with an array of purple soft corals scattered over the surrounding area that give the site its name ("Wong" is Thai for purple).

Aow Leuk Bay (Aow Leuk)

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Average Depth: 10m (35ft)
Maximum Depth: 15m (50ft) Aow Leuk, Koh Tao

Aow Leuk, Koh Tao

This is an ideal site for novice divers. One of the most beautiful bays on the island, you will typically moor up in 6-10m (20-35ft) and begin your dive over some pristine sand - look out for the elusive snake eels that poke their heads out of their burrows.

Aow Leuk Point

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Average Depth: 10m (35ft)
Maximum Depth: 24m (78ft) Aow Leuk Point Koh Tao

Aow Leuk Point Koh Tao

If you continue round the corner from Aow Leuk, you'll come across this superb little site that is based around two above water pinnacles and leads you down into an underwater haven for small reef fish, angel fish, sweetlips, blue spotted rays and even, on occasion, turtles.

Shark Island (Kong Sai Daeng)

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Average Depth: 15m (50ft)
Maximum Depth: 28m (93ft) Shark Ialand Koh Tao

Shark Ialand Koh Tao

It consists of two main rocks that are separated by a narrow channel which gives the island the look of a shark swimming on the surface, hence the name.

Southwest Pinnacle (Hin Tung Gu)

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Average Depth: 17m (56ft)
Maximum Depth: 28m (93ft) SouthWest Pinnacle, Koh Tao

SouthWest Pinnacle, Koh Tao

Smaller than it's counterpart, Chumphon Pinnacle, Southwest consists of a series of pinnacles the deepest at 28m rising up to 5m belowthe surface.

Nang Yuang Pinnacle (Hin Daeng)

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Average Depth: 15m (50ft)
Maximum Depth: 21m (70ft) Nan Yuang, Koh Tao

Nan Yuang, Koh Tao

A cylindrical rock column stretches up from a sand covered bottom to the surface and provides the normal start point for this dive. Spiraling down the rock you will come across a big crevice at about 15-16m (50-53ft) that is the home for large Jenkin's and pink whiprays.

Table Top

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Average Depth: 12m (40ft)
Maximum Depth: 15m (50ft) Table Top, Koh Tao

Table Top, Koh Tao

Tabletop lies in between Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan and is a coastal dive. A simple sand bottom, covered with large granite rocks and coral heads make this dive relatively easy to navigate and plan.

Mango Bay (Aow Muang)

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Average Depth: 5m (15ft)
Maximum Depth: 15m (50ft) Mango Bay, Koh Tao

Mango Bay, Koh Tao

Nobody's diving or snorkeling experience on Koh Tao is complete without a visit to Mango Bay, located on the north of the island in between two palm fringed and jungle covered slopes.

Mango Point

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Average Depth: 15m (50ft)
Maximum Depth: 40m (130ft)

Heading round to the east of Mango Bay lies Mango point, a deep water site that starts along the shoreline of Koh Tao and descends deeper down to several coral covered pinnacles and rocks.

Buddha Point

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Average Depth: 8m (30ft)
Maximum Depth: 12m (40ft)

As one swims around the point to the South East of Chalok Baan Khao where the Buddha rocks sit, you will come across a series of underwater rocks covered in white soft whip coral and purple sponges.

Tanote Bay (Aow Tanote)

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Average Depth: 12m (40ft)
Maximum Depth: 15m (50ft)

A shallow bay dive, Tanote Bay descends down a rocky pinnacle in the middle of the bay. Main thing to look out for here is some big coral trout and snapper that hide out at about 8-11m and for the six banded angelfish that go around in pairs.

Lighthouse

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Average Depth: 12m (40ft)
Maximum Depth: 18m (60ft)

Named after the lighthouse overlooking the bay. On the Northern point are two main rocks that come out of the water and these are where you will find most of the fish life. Check under the larger rocks for pink or Jenkins whip rays and blue spotted rays that hide there.

Sam Ran Pinnacles

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Average Depth: 18m (60ft)
Maximum Depth: 24m (80ft)

Hin Sam Ran is a series of underwater pinnacles that resembles South West in size and structure. It is made up of a central pinnacle descending down to 30m on one side and with an average depth of 22-24m on the other.

Sail Rock (Hin Bai)

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Average Depth: 18m (60ft)
Maximum Depth: 33m (110ft)

A pinnacle that sticks some 7-9m out of the water, half way between Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngan. A superb site offering a whole range of depths and diving areas and includes the famous chimney that is a vertical shaft that rises from 18m to 5m with another exit at 10m.

Laem Tien Caves

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Average Depth: 15m (50ft)
Maximum Depth: 24m (80ft)

Along the rocky shoreline of Laem Tien are a series of underwater swim-throughs and caves.

Hin Pee Wee

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Average Depth: 15m (50ft)
Maximum Depth: 24m (80ft)

Hin Pee Wee is approximately 200m to the south of White Rock (Hin Khao) and provides a deeper alternative to it's more northerncousin.

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